# US 8,788,632 B2 · Managing configurations of distributed devices > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 8,788,632 B2 - Document ID: US8788632B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 13/252,357 - Filed: 2011-10-04 - Published: 2012-05-10 - Granted: 2014-07-22 - Earliest claimed: 2006-12-26 - Assignees: Axeda Acquisition Corporation - Applicants: John L. Taylor; Timothy A Rochte; Kiran Bhageshpur; David Patrick Hart - Inventors: John L. Taylor; Timothy A Rochte; Kiran Bhageshpur; David Patrick Hart - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8788632B2 ## CPC - H04L 41/0803: Configuration setting - G06F 9/4411: {Configuring for operating with peripheral devices; Loading of device drivers} - G16H 40/40: for the management of medical equipment or devices, e.g. scheduling maintenance or upgrades - H04L 67/125: involving control of end-device applications over a network - H04L 67/303: Terminal profiles - H04L 67/34: {involving the movement of software or configuration parameters (network booting or remote initial program loading [RIPL] G06F9/4416)} - H04L: TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION (arrangements common to telegraphic and telephonic communication H04M) - G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N) - G16H: HEALTHCARE INFORMATICS, i.e. INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY [ICT] SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR THE HANDLING OR PROCESSING OF MEDICAL OR HEALTHCARE DATA ## Abstract A method manages configurations of devices in a system that communicates information between a device and an enterprise. The method includes building a defined configuration for a device type. The defined configuration includes a set of value requirements. An actual configuration having values associated with the device is compared to the defined configurations. The actual configuration and defined configuration are stored in a database of the enterprise. The method also includes determining, in the enterprise, if the values of actual configuration match the corresponding value requirements of the defined configurations. The method runs business logic associated with the device based on a result from the step of determining if the values of the actual configuration match the corresponding values of the defined configurations. The matched configurations are stored for subsequent use. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method, performed at an enterprise, for managing a configuration of a device, comprising: building a defined configuration for a device type; determining if an actual configuration of the device matches the defined configuration; associating, based on the determining, the device with at least one group based on a dynamic group rule written to create a hierarchy of groups, the dynamic group rule instructing creation of the at least one group in response to information received about a member of the group that is consistent with at least one membership criterion of the dynamic group rule, the at least one group being created a first time that the at least one membership criterion is met by a member of the at least one group; associating business logic with the device as a result of membership of the device in the at least one group; and running the business logic for the device. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising: associating the device with another group based on the determining; wherein the business logic is configured to perform functions relative to the device that are specific to the other group and to the at least one group. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2, further comprising automatically associating the device with the other group if the actual configuration of the device matches value requirements of the defined configuration of the device. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein running the business logic comprises sending a notification. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The method of claim 4, wherein the notification is an alert and sending the notification comprises sending the alert to a recipient comprising at least one of a user and a business system. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The method of claim 5, further comprising determining the recipient of the notification using group associations of the device in at least one of an alarm condition and an alert condition. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein building the defined configuration comprises setting at least one mandatory element in the defined configuration. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The method of claim 7, wherein the mandatory element comprises a mandatory value requirement; and wherein determining if the actual configuration of the device matches the defined configuration comprises identifying a match of at least part of the actual configuration to the mandatory value requirement. ### Claim 9 (depends on 7) The method of claim 7, wherein determining if the actual configuration of the device matches the defined configuration comprises identifying a match if an elective value requirement of the defined configuration is present in the actual configuration. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein running the business logic comprises sending at least one of a software update and a configuration update to the device. ### Claim 11 One or more non-transitory machine-readable devices media storing instructions that are executable by an enterprise to perform operations to manage a configuration of a device, the operations comprising: building a defined configuration for a device type; determining if an actual configuration of the device matches the defined configuration; associating, based on the determining, the device with at least one group based on a dynamic group rule written to create a hierarchy of groups, the dynamic group rule instructing creation of the at least one group in response to information received about a member of the group that is consistent with at least one membership criterion of the dynamic group rule, the at least one group being created a first time that the at least one membership criterion is met by a member of the at least one group; associating business logic with the device as a result of membership of the device in the at least one group; and running the business logic for the device. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The one or more non-transitory machine-readable devices of claim 11, wherein the operations comprise: associating the device with another group based on the determining; wherein the business logic is configured to perform functions relative to the device that are specific to the other group and to the at least one group. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The one or more non-transitory machine-readable devices of claim 12, wherein the operations comprise automatically associating the device with the other group if the actual configuration of the device matches value requirements of the defined configuration of the device. ### Claim 14 (depends on 11) The one or more non-transitory machine-readable devices of claim 11, wherein: running the business logic comprises sending a notification. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The one or more non-transitory machine-readable devices media of claim 14, wherein the notification is an alert and-sending the notification comprises sending the alert to a recipient comprising at least one of a user and a business system. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The one or more non-transitory machine-readable devices of claim 15, wherein the operations comprise determining the recipient of the notification using group associations of the device in at least one of an alarm condition and an alert condition. ### Claim 17 (depends on 11) The one or more non-transitory machine-readable devices of claim 11, wherein the operations comprise building the defined configuration by setting at least one mandatory element in the defined configuration. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The one or more non-transitory machine-readable devices of claim 17, wherein the mandatory element comprises a mandatory value requirement; and wherein determining if the actual configuration of the device matches the defined configuration comprises identifying a match of at least part of the actual configuration to the mandatory value requirement. ### Claim 19 (depends on 17) The one or more non-transitory machine-readable devices of claim 17, wherein determining if the actual configuration of the device matches the defined configuration comprises identifying a match if an elective value requirement of the defined configuration is present in the actual configuration. ### Claim 20 (depends on 11) The one or more non-transitory machine-readable devices of claim 11, wherein running the business logic comprises sending at least one of a software update and a configuration update to the device. ### Claim 21 A system comprising an enterprise programmed to perform operations to manage a configuration of a device, the operations comprising: building a defined configuration for a device type; determining if an actual configuration of the device matches the defined configuration; associating, based on the determining, the device with at least one group based on a dynamic group rule written to create a hierarchy of groups, the dynamic group rule instructing creation of the at least one group in response to information received about a member of the group that is consistent with at least one membership criterion of the dynamic group rule, the at least one group being created a first time that the at least one membership criterion is met by a member of the at least one group; associating business logic with the device as a result of membership of the device in the at least one group; and running the business logic for the device. ### Claim 22 (depends on 21) The system of claim 21, wherein the operations comprise: associating the device with another group based on the determining; wherein the business logic is configured to perform functions relative to the device that are specific to the other group and to the at least one group. ### Claim 23 (depends on 22) The system of claim 22, wherein the operations comprise automatically associating the device with the other group if the actual configuration of the device matches value requirements of the defined configuration of the device. ### Claim 24 (depends on 21) The system of claim 21, wherein: running the business logic comprises sending a notification. ### Claim 25 (depends on 24) The system of claim 24, wherein the notification is an alert and sending the notification comprises sending the alert to a recipient comprising at least one of a user and a business system. ### Claim 26 (depends on 25) The system of claim 25, wherein the operations comprise determining the recipient of the notification using group associations of the device in at least one of an alarm condition and an alert condition. ### Claim 27 (depends on 21) The system of claim 21, wherein the operations comprise building the defined configuration by setting at least one mandatory element in the defined configuration. ### Claim 28 (depends on 27) The system of claim 27, wherein the mandatory element comprises a mandatory value requirement; and wherein determining if the actual configuration of the device matches the defined configuration comprises identifying a match of at least part of the actual configuration to the mandatory value requirement. ### Claim 29 (depends on 27) The system of claim 27, wherein determining if the actual configuration of the device matches the defined configuration comprises identifying a match if an elective value requirement of the defined configuration is present in the actual configuration. ### Claim 30 (depends on 21) The system of claim 21, wherein running the business logic comprises sending at least one of a software update and a configuration update to the device.